I visited one of Europe’s most affordable seaside cities
WARM autumn weather? Tick. Big price drops? Tick. Bargain flights? Tick.
If you’re looking for a great family-friendly city break without breaking the bank, I need to sell you Porto.
We’ve visited Lisbon and the Algarve before and found them to be an affordable alternative to some of the top Spanish hotspots.
So it came as no surprise that Porto was named by the Post Office in a recent city costs barometer as the place in Western Europe with the biggest price drop in tourists costs, with costs falling by 15.5 per cent in 2025 compared to the previous year.
I was wowed by the affordable accommodation options I found for my family of five, with cheap-as-chips drinks and public transport to boot.
Two nights sleeping on a boat at the marina cost just €242 (£207), while flights can be found for as little as £18.99 each way.
And it makes for the best bit of post-summer sunshine when temperatures are on average 23C in September, although is reaching 32C this week.
Porto is a lovely city to wander around and explore.
There’s the beautiful blue and white tiles on the churches and at Sao Bento railway station, vintage trams trundling along, a cable car to see the sights and a double decker bridge where pedestrians can cross the Douro River up high or down low.
And we weren’t forking out loads for cold drinks and ice creams when we needed a rest – glasses of wine were £2.57 (€3), a beer was £1.50 (€1.80) and ice creams were between £1.70 and £2.57 (€2-€3) a pop.
My top tip for keeping your city break in budget would be to avoid some of the expensive tourist traps that might not actually add much to your trip other than extra costs, especially if you have to pay for five people each time.
The Livraria Lello – supposed to be the most beautiful bookshop in the world – is beautiful but costs £13.70 (15.95€), working out to mor than £50 for a family of four.
My boys were just as happy to admire the lovely old fixtures and fittings in nearby shops – all for free.
An unusual spot that has won hearts recently is the McDonald’s in the former Imperial Cafe in Praça da Liberdade, reputed to be the world’s most beautiful branch of the fast food chain.
Inside you’ll find chandeliers, a striking eagle statue over the entrance and gorgeous art deco stained glass, along with your standard fast food menu.
It’s family-friendly swaps like these that can make or break your city stay.
Make sure to remember the tourist tax for adults and teens, which is £2.57 (€3) per person per night which you pay on arrival.
You can also squeeze in some beach time too.
We headed up to coastal town Viana do Castelo, which hosts one of Portugal‘s biggest festivals in mid-August, and our train fare for five of us was £57.50 (67€) return.
Porto is picture- and pocket-perfect, with laidback vibes aplenty. We could easily have spent much longer in the city, especially with its low-cost living.
Why not give it an explore this autumn?